


Sword and Spirit

by blackkat



Series: Crossover and Fusion Drabbles [11]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Naruto
Genre: Dimension Travel, Fix-It, Flirting, Humor, Innuendo, Kakashi is the same no mater what universe he's in, M/M, old retired badasses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 10:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16156874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat
Summary: Kakashi has a lot of work ahead of him if he wants Tsuna to survive, but at least the company is agreeable. And cute.





	Sword and Spirit

“You gave my son quite the fright.”

Kakashi glances up from his book—not quite up to Jiraiya’s standards, but decent enough for an alternate dimension—flicks a glance at the still boy on the futon, and then casts a smile at the man in the doorway. “Maa, maa, it will be good for him.”

Tsuyoshi hums, something like unconvinced, and kneels down next to Kakashi, setting the tray of sake and cups he’s carrying between them. “Your tagalong is practically sitting on Takeshi right now,” he offers in mild warning.

Kakashi chuckles, but when Tsuyoshi pours sake and offers him a cup, he doesn’t hesitate to take it. “I'm sure Mukuro is very put out by that,” he says dryly.

If Mukuro's relentless flirting with Takeshi bothers Tsuyoshi, there isn't so much of a hint at it. He just laughs, settling back against the wall, and looks down at Tsuna. His smile doesn’t slip, either, but there's something edged with darkness in his eyes, a little grim, a little set. “Waking up will be a bit of a shock, won't it?” he says softly.

It’s not really a question, but Kakashi tips his head. “Maybe in a good way,” he says lightly, because the only thing he can think of in that moment is Obito with a seal on his heart, willing to let Kakashi destroy that same heart as long as he could escape it. Tsuna's seal was on his Flames, on a thousand small instincts he’s had buried since he was a child, but—Kakashi hopes he’ll be better when he wakes up. A little more like the self that comes out when he’s touching his Flames, instead of having two radically different personalities that never quite mesh.

Tsuna's been getting stronger. Kakashi isn't the best teacher and even he can see that. But it never quite seems to fit inside Tsuna's skin like it should, all that progress.

Learning Tsuna’s father had his Flames sealed away when he was a child was a good hint as to why.

“Ah,” Tsuyoshi says, with an air of revelation. “Taking care of your student, is it? That’s very kind of you.”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Kakashi warns him, smiling a little. “I might have to kill you for ruining my reputation.”

Tsuyoshi laughs softly, and his shoulder bumps Kakashi’s lightly. “Now that would be an interesting fight,” he says cheerfully. “A retired assassin against a retired ninja. There's no way it could be boring.”

“I'm as retired as you are,” Kakashi says dryly, because he’s seen Tsuyoshi with his sword. Has seen how yakuza are very, very careful to give his shop a wide berth no matter what.

Tsuyoshi's smile has an edge to it. “It wouldn’t do to get rusty, right?” he asks, with that same cheer, and holds up an arm, flexing to show the lean muscle of one bicep. He might be older, but he’s definitely not _old_ , Kakashi thinks with a hum, eyeing him.

It’s possible Mukuro isn't the only one who’s been flirting.

“I think you're rusty in the same way your knives are rusty,” Kakashi offers, and means _not at all_.

With a chuckle, Tsuyoshi subsides, leaning back against the wall. “Rust on a blade is the best way to die,” he says, and Kakashi can hear the weight when he says _blade_. He means them, rather than any sword or knife or kunai to come to their hand.

“Maa, have you had a lot of practice polishing the rust from your blade, Tsuyoshi?” Kakashi asks, makes it as innocent as possible even as he smiles.

Tsuyoshi blinks, blinks again, and then he laughs brightly, putting a hand up to push his bandana back a little on his forehead. There's a little bit of color on his cheeks, and it’s _cute_. “Ah, I think I remember the best technique,” he says easily, though the smile he flashes Kakashi is a tease. “Though I could likely do with a refresher.”

 _Hm_ , Kakashi thinks, though it’s lighter than before, a little sharper. He sweeps a look over Tsuyoshi's form, then lets his eyes slide back to Tsuna, checking his breathing. Steady, stable, and Kakashi knows well enough how to break a seal, but…sometimes it’s better to be careful.

“We’ll have to make time for that,” Kakashi says, and keeps it light. “It wouldn’t do for a swordsman of your caliber to forget.”

“I don’t think there's any chance of that with you around,” Tsuyoshi says cheerfully, and takes a sip of sake.

Kakashi watches him swallow out of the corner of his eye, and then offers more quietly, “Reborn says things are getting worse with the Vongola.”

If the subject change catches Tsuyoshi off guard, he doesn’t show that, either. “Takeshi's progressing well,” he says. “He’s more determined than I've seen him in a long time.”

Tsuna isn't. Tsuna doesn’t want anything to do with the mafia, but he’s willing to fight to keep his friends safe. It reminds Kakashi of Rin quite a lot, and…maybe that’s one of the reasons he’s willing to do so much.

“I have a feeling,” he says, light, but he means every word, “that things are going to work out.”

Tsuyoshi chuckles, but he raises his cup, and Kakashi taps his own against it, then swallows the sake down. It burns a little, but the taste lingers sweet and smooth across his tongue.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] Sword and Shield](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18051689) by [Annapods](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annapods/pseuds/Annapods)




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